Well after our trip, i am now catching up with what i missed here on the forum...

+FIREAMX... M.

BEN...

OVER THERE IN ASIA... A VERY LONG WAY FROM HOME, IT WAS NICE TO SEE POSTS FROM YOU GUYS... IN A WAY IT KIND OF GROUNDED ANY HOMESICKNESS I HAD FOR THE CROSSFIRE... IT BROUGHT ME JUST A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO IT, HALF A WORLD AWAY... SO I THANK YOU!

BUT I WILL TELL YOU, OVER THERE (PHILIPPINES) I NEVER SUFFER FROM CULTURE SHOCK AS THE FILIPINOS L O V E AMERICA/ AMERICANS!

AS BEN BROUGHT UP THE JEEPNEY AND TRYKES( BY THE WAY WHERE IS FIELDS AVE?), MOST PAY RESPECT TO AMERICA IN SOME WAY! FLAGS/ NBA/NFL MLB/NASCAR/NIKE/ US TOWN/STATE STICKERS/ US LICENSE PLATES ARE DISPLAYED PROUDLY ON THEIR COLORFUL VEHICLES... (THIS COUNTRY IS THE OR THIRD OR FORTH LARGEST ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRY IN THE WORLD... NOT SURE IF IT BEATS OUT BRITAIN!!!... I FORGET...)

AND THE MUSIC ON THE AIRWAVES... 50'S 60'S 70'S 80'S MUSIC SEEM TO BE THE POPULAR CHOICES THERE IN STORES/RADIO/ AND HOMES...

WHEN WE FLEW INTO MANILA WE CAME IN WITH A CATEGORY 4 TYPHOON AT 12:00 AM! TALK ABOUT BUMPY! IF THE XF TIRE PRINTS "HUNT" ON IMPERFECT ROADS, THIS PLANE WAS VIOLENTLY "ABDUCTED" BY THE TURBULENCE AS WE FLEW IN!!!

ANYWAY THANKS AGAIN... GOOD TO BE BACK.
J.

ps

MY WIFE AND I STARTED A PILOT PROJECT THERE, SETTING UP A COMPUTER STUDY CENTER (7 PCs AND MONITORS AND A FEW COPIERS/FAX /SCANNERS FOR STUDENTS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL... TO USE FREE OF CHARGE AS LONG AS ITS FOR THEIR STUDIES... AS MANY KIDS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS (IN THE PROVINCE, WHERE WE STAY) TO THE INTERNET... IF ALL GOES WELL WE WILL START A FEW OF THEM PER YEAR...